In Missouri, deceased former governor Mel Carnahan narrowly
defeated incumbent Republican Senator John Ashcroft, 50% to 49%.
Carnahan trailed in pre-election polls until he died in a plane
crash on October 16.

INFOGRAPHIC:
the new Senate breakdown

51 GOP
48 DEM
1 DOA

This is the first time a dead Democrat has been elected to federal
office, though dead people have been a reliable Democratic voting
constituency in the midwest for decades.

In the final weekend of the campaign, top Ashcroft campaign
aides realized the election was slipping away and urged the
Republican to seize the initiative with a bold last-minute
suicide.

In a decision he may now regret, Ashcroft ignored that advice.

An alternative plan involving the the tragic death of a close
Ashcroft family member was discussed by the campaign but proved
unworkable before the crucial Monday news cycle.

Mr. Carnahan is now seen as a rising star in the Democratic
party. "He's rock-solid, and not just on the issues," says
Missouri activist Eliza Rexhart. "He's no stiffer than Gore,"
adds phone-bank volunteer Tom Handlemar.

Planning has begun for a Carnahan-2004 presidential exploratory
committee, and the Senator-elect's handlers are rumored to be
reaching across the partisan aisle to find a suitable running-mate.
According to a source within the Carnahan camp, speaking on the
condition of anonymity, the veep spot has been offered to
97-year-old Republican Senator Strom Thurmond -- "as long as
he dies before the 2004 primaries."
==========